The present invention relates to an automatic analysis apparatus for quantifying a density of a substance dissolved in liquid, and in particular, to an automatic analysis apparatus for analyzing components of biological fluid, water or the like.
A conventional automatic analysis apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. S63-131066. A reagent container used in this apparatus, is composed of a chamber part in which a reagent is held, a pump part integrally incorporated with the chamber part, for sucking and pipetting the reagent from the chamber part by a predetermined quantity, and a pipette removably attached to a reagent discharge outlet port of the pump part. Further, a liquid filling port is formed in the upper part of the chamber part, and is removably fitted thereto with a cap formed therein with a vent hole for holding the inside of the chamber part at the ambient atmospheric pressure. Since the reagent container is integrally incorporated with the pump part, a system which can prevent carry-over of a reagent and cross-contamination is used.
The above-mentioned prior art fails to disclose any of countermeasures against the following problems:
First, the reagent container has a complicated structure so as to be expensive since it is integrally incorporated with the pump part as a reagent discharging means. Further, the volume of waste materials is increased, resulting in waste of resources since the reagent container is thrown away together with the pump part.
Second, since no data recording medium is provided to either the reagent container or the pump part, it is difficult to obtain data relating to a kind of a reagent, a used quantity, a remaining quantity, a quality, a condition of the pump part or the like.
Third, sticking of dust or contamination to the reagent supply port of the container, and deposition of solid components in the reagent due to drying of the reagent are caused, resulting in risks of clogging of the reagent supply port, and entry of foreign matter during discharge of the reagent, since the pipetter as a reagent discharge outlet is exposed.
Fourth, since the reagent container has such a structure that gas within the container flows into a passage, the degree of accuracy in a supply quantity of a reagent upon pipetting becomes uneven.